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What a theodicy!

Posted on: July 18, 2010 - 12:31pm

termina

Posts: 54

Joined: 2010-03-02

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What a theodicy!

Hello,

The Abrahamic Books, to convince disbelievers and skeptics, try to prove "empirically" the goodness of the Creator: for instance the many utilities and benefits we get from Nature (fruits, rain, reasoning, ect...) is assumed to imply a ultimate Kidness and Mercy.

But at the same time, we can reply to this by using the problem of natural evil: disasters, sickness can imply a Malevolent God as well.

Some theists answered that:

since the Creator of the universe (#let's suppose there is one#) is above the Universe and alone (#let's suppose polytheism is wrong#), he isn't submitted to any moral laws, contrary to us, then we have no basis for judging Him wrong.

But you may object: "if we cannot judge the Creator wrong, then we cannot judge Him right, otherwise that's special pleading".

No! We can judge the Creator right and we have a reason: He is right because He abides by Himself. He perfectly obeys His Will. His will therefore becomes in human terms, His law. Unto His will, He is a blameless and perfect adherent. No special pleading here.

he isn't submitted to any moral laws, contrary to us, then we have no basis for judging Him wrong.

termina wrote:

We can judge the Creator right and we have a reason: He is right because He abides by Himself. He perfectly obeys His Will. His will therefore becomes in human terms, His law. Unto His will, He is a blameless and perfect adherent. No special pleading here.

No.

The concept of being blameless because he follows his laws is a moral law from the perspective of the moral objectivist. The theist would be contradicting himself.

Btw, what's so good about following your own will? Would I be good if I followed my own will? That seems like more special pleading to me

Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare